About me

RECAP: First 20 Miler in the Bank!

Janae, So THIS is what it feels like to feel like the Bomb.com??? LOL...

I was feeling a lot of anxiety about this 20 miler today. I was supposed to have 16, 18 and THEN 20 but b/c I lost 2 wks and was sick, I did 16 last weekend and 20 today.....

I even woke up 5 times last night worrying about it. silly me.

I stayed at one of my team mates house last night as we all headed out to Banks/Vernonia trail for the run. we were all doing diff things but it was nice to know were still together....sort of.

My fabulous coach road his bike and simulated Aid Stations for us every few miles. what a guy!

ALL WEEK, I thought this was an EASY run. THEN last night at team dinner, Joel tells me it's a "progression run".

'WHAT? YOU TOLD ME IT WAS EASY! " I exclaim.

"Well, you turn every long run into a progression run anyway" LOL

I had to laugh because it's SO true! I am incapable to running an easy pace for long periods.

1. I get bored

2. I end up thinking to myself "i wonder how fast I can run this"

3. I am ALWAYS in a hurry with everything Ido in my life. so it's inevitable. Been like that since I was a kid.

Anyway...we started the run and it was WET. Of course, it's Portland people.

I tried to keep up with Becky and Helen but they were running sub 8min pace for their "EASY" and I knew if I did that I'd never make it 20 miles.

I HAVE to do my first few miles at about 8:15-8:30 if I'm going to push it later.

Still...I wasn't really sure how I was going to execute this run...it was sort of mile by mile...just seeing how I felt knowing I had A LOT of miles to go still.

Joel was on his bike and said to me at one point "it's not about time today, just finish the 20 miles"....so I wasn't feeling pressured or anything..

BUT at mile 10,I looked at my watch and i was running 6:45 pace and felt amazing and that is when I decided I wanted to go under 2:30. My run last week was a 7:29 pace so I wanted to see if I could do that for 4 more miles.

It seemed a bit out of reach, considering I was DEAD at the end of my 16 last week but I am always forced into doing these things to myself by this voice inside I can’t seem to ignore! I have got to be the most competitive person with myself.

Anyway…everytime I got tired,I turned on Lady Gaga’s “born this way” ..I NEVER wear an IPOD but I am SO glad I listened to the prompting to bring it today. 20 mile is along way to run alone with nothing to listen to but the rain slapping you in the face and your feet pounding the pavementJ

The last few miles were HARD but I had a big smile on my face b/c I was kicking this run in the butt WAY better than I even imagined I could. This is only week 2 of running for me so Ididn’t expect much.

Anyway...I finished in under 2:30 with a pace of 7:26 the girls told me:) I'm curious to see my mile splits but I was wearing my coaches watch and he has it.

When I finished…DON’T LAUGH, I cried.

No really. I mean I CRIED! I cried b/c I was SO tired and I cried b/c I was just so happy that I ran that and that meant that I COULD maybe REALLY do a great sub 3:20 on this marathon.

GOALS are VERY important to me. I set them so I can see how far I can go. How hard I can push and b/c I want to know WHAT I’m MADE OF! I know that not everyone is like that and that people run just b/c they enjoy it, but I run because I want push harder and harder every time.

I birthed my 10lb 4oz baby girl naturally just b/c I wanted to experience natural labor. LOL, I know some people think I’m crazy…but it was WORTH IT! Best experience of my life.

And I know that running this 26.2 as hard as I can will be worth it too, for I get to find out how far I can stretch, what my limits are and to not be AFRAID to give it everything I got. I think it’s a lesson that can be applied to so much of our lives. The feeling after pushing through something you think you CAN’T is one of the most REWARDING feelings I have ever experienced in my life.

When I die, I want to know that I did hard things. I didn’t let the fear of failure stop me. I worked hard and then I went for it!

That makes me think…one of my favorite quotes:

“WORK as if everything depends on you.

PRAY as if everything depends on GOD”.

I think that’s my life’s mottoJ